Spireites' Pre-Bolton Injury News

Danny Wilson is hoping to welcome a few long-term absentees back into the first team fold in the coming weeks as the Spireites' injury crisis begins to ease.

Conor Wilkinson and Sam Hird both featured on Tuesday night in the Derbyshire Senior Challenge Cup and the manager offered an insight into their progress.

“The one we are hoping for (against Bolton) is Sam Hird,” Wilson said. “He came through the game okay and is coming through training, we are hoping that he may be available to us, which is a big bonus.

“Wilkinson won’t be allowed to play anyway because it is against his parent club. But he played 60 minutes or so in the midweek game, and that is what he needs.

“He just needs to get his fitness topped up again, like most players who have been out for such a long time. He will be doing that with us, so hopefully he will be available for the following games.”

Angel Martinez also played 45 minutes on Tuesday night as he steps up his rehabilitation, but Wilson is taking a cautious approach to the midfielder's return.

“It is later rather than sooner with Angel as he has only just gotten over this knee problem. He has played 45 minutes in the Derbyshire Cup game, which is not the type of competition that he will be playing in, in League One so it is going to be a long time yet.

"I am not giving any sort of time span as to when he can be back, we are just managing him game to game now. There is another reserve game on Tuesday that he will take some part in, we will just keep building him up.

“He is another who more than anything just needs games, and let's hope he can recover to the type of player he was before his injury.”

Bolton should also come too soon for Paul McGinn, while Laurence Maguire will definitely not feature.

The boss also revealed that Dan Jones has had another set-back in his bid to return and will undergo more treatment, but insists he remains confident in his eventual return.

“Dan has got a little bit of a problem with his heel so he is going to see a specialist," Wilson said. "He has been out for a long time now, 13, nearly 14 months, so to get so close was another blow for him, but he is resolute and has got patience.

“We were hoping McGinn would be available against Peterborough but sadly he wasn’t and he had to pull out before the game - next week fingers crossed - but I don't really know.

“Other than that it is a very similar situation, the ones that were away from us last week or were injured during the game, including Laurence Maguire, won’t be available.”